Hi! I'm Courtney, the owner of Merriment Events™ in Richmond, Virginia. The Merriment Blog is a place where I can share ideas that are inspiring me. I'd love to hear from you! Please get in touch by writing to courtney {at} merrimentevents {dot} com

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No matter how you slice it, making cuts to your guest list can be an arduous (and sometimes impossible) task. As you embark on one of the very first steps of wedding planning, drafting your guest list, bear this in mind: your guest count will drive costs more than most any other decision you make. That’s because food and beverage consumption will represent about half of your total wedding spend.

To get started, identify the maximum number of guests your budget and venue will allow. To kickstart that process, ask your caterer to help you identify a high and a low cost per person for food and beverage, including tax and service charges. Keep your maximum number on the conservative side, slightly lower than your total budget will allow and slightly lower than your venue’s capacity.

Traditionally the couple invites half the guest list, while each set of parents invites a quarter. If your parents are paying for your wedding, you may want to adjust these percentages in their favor.

Begin by making your dream list, a list of every possible person you’d love to invite, then divide this list into buckets that ultimately relate to priority to invite.

-Bucket #1: close family members (siblings, grandparents)
-Bucket #2: close friends and extended family
-Bucket #3: colleagues and other friends

When you merge your parents’ lists and yours together, you may discover you need to cull the list or revisit budget. To cut or not to cut? If you’ve never spoken to the guest, consider cutting that person from your list. As it relates to unmarried couples: unless the couple is engaged or lives together, considering cutting plus ones. If you haven’t spoken to a person on your list in a year or more and are not related, you may consider cutting that guest. Consider eliminating co-workers from your list – have a close look at bucket #3 of guests.

Cutting a guest list can be a challenge, and sometimes it may be impossible, but giving your list a good scrub and knowing the commitment you’re making before you make deposits will empower you as you plan your wedding!

It’s always such an honor to be recognized by our peers for doing what we love: working with families to plan once in a lifetime celebrations. And it’s such a joy to plan weddings in Virginia in our beautiful capital city. Since 2012, Virginia Living Magazine has recognized Merriment Events, along with a host of other very talented wedding service providers, as one of the best in the commonwealth. We’re humbled by the recognition and so grateful! Look for the February issue on newsstands now.

Although we designed this shoot without a season in mind and shot it on a hot summer day, I’ve always thought this would be such a classic and timeless look for winter bride. The colors are a pretty twist on a classic winter palette, and the sparkling Christos “Arabella” gown and chic boxwood touches all whisper winter. xoxo

These glow in the dark slime favors were a hit at my daughter’s Halloween party, and they’re so easy to make. You can make a batch ahead to give away as favors and make another batch during the party so the kids can get in on the action (add fake eyeballs to the bowl, and you’ve got a winner). To make spooky and creepy glow in the dark slime you’ll need:

Method: Pour glue into bowl. Fill empty glue bottles with a small amount of warm water; shake to release any remaining glue and pour into bowl. Mix glow in the dark paint into glue. Add food coloring until desired shade is reached.

In a separate container, mix borax and water. Stir until borax is dissolved. Pour borax/water mixture into glue mixture, mixing water in small pours until desired consistency is reached. You may not use all water/borax mixture. The more borax you use, the thicker the mixture will become. You may want to mix with your hands as the slime becomes thicker. Plastic test tube containers shown found at Target.

Without fail, in the two weeks leading up to a wedding, the question will be asked: what will happen to my flowers after my wedding? Surely they won’t all go to waste? Before you ponder the idea of asking a few friends to deconstruct those arrangements and deliver to your parent’s home tout de suite, take a breath. Often the vases are rental, meaning that arrangements will have to be deconstructed on site and loaded into buckets of water so the floral designer can collect her containers. It’s a big job and one that friends and family might not be able to easily take on at the end of the evening. As an alternative:

-You can offer “to go bags” to guests and encourage them to pluck a few blooms on their way out. I love these from For Your Party. If you’re not interested in ordering custom printed bags, you can easily find clear cellophane candy bags at most any craft store. Display those with some pretty ribbon, and you’re all set!

-You can hire a company to donate your flowers after your event. Grace in Bloom in Richmond is dedicated to just that. Conceived by two friends, Brittany Heare, who also works with Merriment, and Brittany Mantiply, Grace in Bloom delivers “gently used wedding flowers” to nursing homes and assisted living facilities in the Richmond area. Brittany will work closely with you, your planner and your floral designer to develop a schedule and plan for collection. We love Grace in Bloom because it is such a win/win!

When you draft your month-by-month wedding planning timeline, be sure to dedicate an afternoon to a hair and makeup trial. A trial is a dry run for your wedding day hair and makeup. It should be booked about six to eight weeks prior to your wedding date. This is the best time to talk about the styles you like and to collaborate with your stylist; it also gives the stylist an opportunity to learn about your hair and skin type, to discuss any concerns you might have, to try on any hair accessories you may be wearing, and for the stylist to pass along any tips and tricks she may have.

After hair and makeup are complete, get thyself to the dressing room! This is the best time to stage a dress rehearsal and your chance (sans wedding day jitters) to see how everything works (or does not work) together: how your veil looks with your hairstyle, how your undergarments are fitting with your gown, how your shoes feel when they’re worn more than a few minutes, and how your accessories look with the ensemble. Better to discover any issues prior to your wedding day while there’s still plenty of time to make adjustments! If your maid of honor and your mother can be there, practice bustling.

If you’re doing a bridal portrait with your photographer, this is the day to schedule it. It’s a great opportunity to break the ice and to get comfortable in front of the camera in your wedding gown. Be sure to order a mock up of your wedding day bouquet!

Not all things wedding are inherently glamorous: the loo for instance. If you’re having an outdoor or an at home wedding like many Merriment brides do, you’ll likely need to engage in potty talk during wedding planning, and by potty talk I mean securing a restroom trailer.

If you’re just starting your search, there are a few questions you must ask: How many stalls are in each unit? How large are the stalls? How many sinks are in each unit? Will the unit play music? Does the unit have heat and air? Running water? What type of flooring is in the unit? And now for the cliff notes:

Generally you need one stall for every 75 guests.

The unit will need to be installed on level ground near a water spigot and power. Be sure the location you identify for RR trailer installation is easily accessible by truck and that the truck can easily pull in and out. Also think strategically about the location of the trailer. How far will your guests have to walk from ceremony, cocktail and dinner to facilities? Golf carts are always nice for guests with limited mobility.

Make sure the loo is easy to find: consider signage. Lighting is a must — always light the path and always uplight the trailer! Depending on your budget, you may consider decorative elements to conceal/enhance the look of the trailer. I’ve even seen trailers draped to look like a tent!

It’s always such an honor to contribute to Martha Stewart Weddings. In the summer issue, we answered a reader’s question about discussing dress code and attire with your vendors. While most vendors follow the industry standard (black), not all do. We offered some tips on navigating that conversation. Here’s a little insta snap of the article. xoxo